Back from 3 weeks in Africa (Vic Falls, Botswana, and SA)

[jashermd]

Hello everyone,

Sorry to have been MIA for so long -- it feels like forever since I had a chance to check in here on LL! I've just come back from three weeks in Africa and naturally I am completely snowed under at work (my colleagues' revenge for being gone for so long -- they are now all going on holiday and I have to cover for them).

I'll be posting stuff on the Africa board about my trip (and also stuff from past trips) but wanted to give people a heads-up if they were interested.

This trip took in three countries -- Zambia (Livingstone / Victoria Falls), Botswana (Linyanti, Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi Pans, and the Western Kalahari desert) and South Africa (just Joburg and Durbs this time, I'm afraid). I stayed at the following places:

LIVINGSTONE: Sindabezi, Tongabezi, and River Club

LINYANTI: Motswiri Camp, Selinda Camp
OKAVANGO DELTA: Chitabe Camp, Chitabe Trails Camp

JOBURG: Melrose Arch
DURBAN: Quarters

I also spent 6 nights on a mobile safari (2 nights in the Delta, 2 nights at Jack's Camp, and 2 nights with the Bushmen)

BRIEF NOTES
Sindabezi and Tongabezi were wonderful. IMO Tonga one of the ultimate honeymoon destinations. River Club was nice as well, though with a very different feel. Peter Jones, the manager, is one of those eccentric Englishmen that supposedly died out...he plays a bugle during dinner sometimes.

I did some canoeing on the Zambezi and in the Delta at Motswiri (I've never canoed before so this was a first for me). I also swam in the Okavango Delta at Motswiri which was pretty cool. The game was a bit thin around Motswiri (it;s really better to go there later in the year) but there was superb game-viewing at Selinda and Chitabe (lots of wild dogs and lions, but sadly only one leopard this time).

I've never been on a mobile safari before, so going on the mobile was really different for me. It was run by Uncharted Africa. The experience was amazing, especially going out to see the Bushmen in the Western Kalahari. We were there for two nights (three would have been better). We went hunting and gathering with them and found a beehive in a tree (the buzzing really reminded me of all those movies about killer bees). They smoked the bees out the old-fashioned way and we got to eat honey right from the hive (yummm!). The smoke really does work -- very few people got stung.

At the Bushman village I spent some time talking shop with one of the traditional healers, and attended a trance dance ceremony. It's a really unique experience. The only downer was that Ralph Bousfield (one of the most renowned guides in Africa, who owns the company that runs the mobile) wasn't there as he was preparing for filming (he's making a documentary for Discovery or National Geo about the Bushman initiation hunt).

The safari part was very different to being in a permanent camp. Personally, I like more comfort over the long term but it was fine for a few days. We spent a lot of time with the guides and got to know them really well, which was great -- the Uncharted Africa guides are mostly PhDs in zoology and they really know their stuff. One of the guides, Dabe, is a Bushman who is training to be a traditional healer and I had some great talks with him.

More to come on the Africa board!

Cheers,
Julian

[mary-j]

Welcome back. You certainly have been missed. Wow, it certainly soundslike you had the most wonderful experience. You always seem to pack so much into your holidays. I wish I was as brave as you.

Cheers.

[two2go]

Hi Julian
So glad to hear that all is well, and that you were MIA only because you were gone on vacation. Welcome back...you comments and experiences are always appreciated. Your 3 week trip to Africa sounds fabulous and I can't wait to hear more. Just wondering if any part of it was purchased through LL. Also, during your travels would there be a resort you would like to see featured at auction on LL?
two2go



Message Edited by two2go on 05-22-200706:02 AM

[jashermd]

Hello 2,

Thanks for your post -- I always find places I'd like LL to feature when I travel!

LL's best deals in Africa are in SA (specifically in Cape Town, the Winelands, and the Garden Route) and since I didn't spend much time there during this trip it was a non-LL trip. However, I've suggested some places in Joburg and Durban for LL to consider which should hopefully enable me to use LL on future trips to the other parts of SA!

For my safari I went with Wilderness Safaris, whose camps in Botswana are superb. I've suggested that LL approach them though I doubt that they'll ever feature here as their camps are always packed.

Cheers,
Julian

[Syrene-1]

wow. sounds like such a wonderful vacation. Can't wait to read more when you have a chance to post.